Lyrics
In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner,
And his daughter Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev'ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles, soft and fine,
But, alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
How I missed her! How I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
But I kissed her little sister,
I forgot my Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Information About Oh My Darling Clementine
"The song Oh My Darling Clementine" is a U. S folk song with its lyrical roots in an older western folk ballad called "Down by the River Liv"d a Maiden" written by H. S. Thompson in 1863. The song is forever linked with the Californian Gold Rush. The melody of the song may have originated from a Spanish ballad popular with Mexican miners during the Gold Rush.
The song has been credited to a couple people due to the unknown origins. The first of the two is Percy Montrose in 1884 and the second is Barker Bradford. It is also thought to be a different version of the song "Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden" by H. S. Thompson in 1863.
The most popular place that people know it from is through Hanna-Barbera cartoons where Huckleberry Hound would be the one singing the song in an off tune manner.
The song Oh My Darling Clementine was written in 1884 and is usually credited to Percy Montrose, but some people believe the correct author is Barker Bradford.
The words "Oh my darling, Clementine! Thou art lost and gone forever" is where a lover or father speaks about the grief he encounters when he loses his Clementine in a drowning incident. The girl is the daughter or girlfriend of a miner in the 1849 California Gold Rush.
Common alternative lyrics include swapping "Sandals were for Clementine" for "Pretty Shoes for Clementine" and "Thou art lost and gone forever" instead of "You are lost and gone forever".
For further information about the song "Oh My Darling, Clementine", check out Wikipedia.
Alternative Lyrics & Related Songs
Some pay people may know this version more
In the centre of a golden valley,
Dwelt a maiden all divine,
A pretty creature a miner's daughter
And her name was Clementine.
Refrain:
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
My darling Clementine,
You are lost for me forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Her noble father was the foreman
Of ev'ry valued mine,
And ev'ry miner and ranchman
Was a brother to Clementine.
The foreman miner, an old forty niner,
In dreams and thoughts sublime,
Lived in comfort with his daughter,
His pretty child Clementine.
When far away, he would often pray
That in his sunny clime
No harm might overtake her,
His favorite nugget, Clementine.
When the day was done and the setting sun
Its rays they ceased to shine,
Homeward came the brawny miner
To caress his Clementine.
None was nearer, none was dearer,
Since the days of forty-nine
When, in youth, he had another
Who was then his Clementine.
She led her ducks down to the river,
The weather it was fine,
Stubbed her toe against a sliver,
Fell into the raging brine.
He heard her calling: father,
Her voice was like a chime,
But alas he was no swimmer,
So he lost his Clementine.
Some additional verses to connect to the song
I took her, on a picnic,
Oh, how the Sun did shine.
But she's 'llergic to bee stings
To the doctor, Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Another long version is fun to sing
In a cavern, in a canyon
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner, forty-niner
And his daughter Clementine
Light she was, and like a fairy
And her shoes were number nine
Herring boxes without topses
Sandals were for Clementine
Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever
I'm so sorry, Clementine
Walking lightly as a fairy
Though her shoes were number nine
Sometimes tripping, lightly skipping
Lovely girl, my Clementine
Drove the ducklings to the water
Every morning just at nine
Hit her foot against a splinter
Fell into the foaming brine
Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever
I'm so sorry, Clementine
Then the miner, forty-niner
Soon began to fret and pine
Thought he oughter join his daughter
So he's now with Clementine
I'm so lonely, lost without her
Wish I'd had a fishing line
Which I might have cast about her
Might have saved my Clementine
Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine
Listen fellers, heed the warning
Of this tragic tale of mine
Artificial respiration
Could have saved my Clementine
How I missed her, how I missed her
How I missed my Clementine
Til I kissed her little sister
And forgot my Clementine